How Yar Adua Emerged

It is no longer news that Yar Adua is the Presidential candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming Presidential elections in Nigeria. What is news however is how he out of nowhere became the PDP candidate.

Most people wrongly assume that Yar Adua was chosen by OBJ. This cannot be further from the truth. Before the emergence of YA, OBJ had led many candidates to believe that he had their backs in the Presidential race. These included the likes of IBB, Duke, Gusau and Odili. The story was that OBJ was playing all against each other and he did not have an anointed candidate or if he did, he never revealed it. Odili contrary to widespread beliefs was never supported by OBJ, it was Anthony Annenih that was his champion. OBJ knew that Odili had no chance of wining it, also OBJ had his mind set on a credible Northern candidate. We were reliably informed that his preference was Gen Buhari.

It was against this backdrop that the PDP Governors met to produce a consensus candidate. After several meetings, the Governors decided to settle for Yar Adua. The Governors told Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki to produce a position paper to be given to OBJ.

OBJ was pleasantly surprised when the Governors through Saraki made it known to him that YA was their chosen candidate. With OBJ and the Governors now singing from the same hymn sheet, he felt confident enough to ask the likes of IBB to withdraw for Yar Adua. One person that was not happy with the choice of YA was Anenih, on the day of the Presidential Primaries at the Eagle Square, he accosted Saraki who had just been in to see OBJ in his special booth and wanted to know what he went to tell the President. He told Saraki “young man I know what you are all planning, I hope you don’t regret it”.